HC Deb 27 January 1988 vol 126 cc291-2W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were extradited from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland in each of the last three years where the charge was in respect of(a) terrorist activity and (b) non-terrorist activity.

Mr. Stanley

The information is as follows:

1985 1986 1987
Numbers of persons extradited in respect of terrorist activity 0 0 0
Number of persons extradited in respect of non-terrorist activity 4 1 0

On 14 January 1988, the Irish Supreme Court ordered the extradition of Robert Peter Russell, who escaped from the Maze in 1983. He will be returned to Northern Ireland on completion of a three-year sentence imposed in the Republic.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken, in conjunction with the security forces to draw up a list of persons believed to be living in Republic of Ireland, for which applications for extradition might be appropriate, what percentage of such persons are being sought by the Royal Ulster Constabulary for terrorist offences; and if the list has been extended as a result of changes in extradition law in the Irish Republic.

Mr. Stanley

As I said in my reply to the hon. Gentleman on 10 November at column66 it is not the practice to give details of possible individual extradition cases. I can assure him, however, that the Royal Ulster Constabulary has always given consideration to possible extradition cases involving both terrorists and non-terrorist offences.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for extradition of persons from the Irish Republic to Northern Ireland have been made since the recent changes in extradition law in the Irish Republic came into effect; and of these how many were for(a) terrorist offences and (b) non-terrorist offences.

Mr. Stanley

[holding answer 26 January 1988]: The Extradition (ECST) Act 1987 came into force on 1 December and the Extradition (Amendment) Act 1987 came into force on 14 December. I understand that between 1 and 14 December there were three new applications for the extradition of persons from the Irish Republic to Northern Ireland. There have been no further new applications since 14 December.